Empowering the next generation of women innovators

Women entrepreneurs are driving innovation, breaking barriers, and shaping the future of business. DMZ’s Women Innovation Summit is dedicated to celebrating and empowering these trailblazers by providing them with the platform, resources, and funding opportunities to thrive.

This year’s Summit will feature thought-provoking roundtables, the Women Innovation Pitch Competition, where women-led startups will compete for funding, and the recognition of DMZ’s Women of the Year award recipients.

Bringing this vision to life takes a strong community. That’s why we’ve brought together a Steering Committee of industry leaders, executives, and corporate partners. Their role is to ensure the Summit reflects the diverse voices and experiences of women in innovation while upholding an equitable and inclusive review process.

Before the Summit kicks off, we want to recognize the incredible individuals shaping this year’s event.

Meet DMZ’s 2025 Women Innovation Summit Steering Committee:

Janet Lin, Vice President, EQ Bank

A seasoned technology strategist, Janet Lin is passionate about innovation, digital transformation, and fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech and finance space. As a leader at EQ Bank, she champions initiatives that empower women entrepreneurs—not just at the Women Innovation Summit but year-round. EQ Bank’s commitment extends to supporting young women founders through DMZ’s Basecamp program, reinforcing their dedication to creating opportunities and celebrating the achievements of women in business. “As a Steering Committee member for the 2025 DMZ Women Innovation Summit, I am thrilled to help create an empowering space that recognizes the trailblazing women at the forefront of Canada’s innovation economy. Guided by the #InspireInclusion theme, our goal is to ensure the Summit embodies the inclusion and brilliance of women driving meaningful impacts in tech and innovation.”

Moshe Mikanovsky, Product Director, RootQuotient

Returning for a second year on the Women Innovation Summit Steering Committee, Moshe Mikanovsky  is a dedicated mentor and product strategist committed to helping founders adopt a product-first mindset. With extensive experience in guiding entrepreneurs, he continues to play a key role in shaping the summit’s impact. “I am very excited to return to support this fantastic event, which highlights and boosts all women leadership in Toronto, Canada, and beyond. Seeing the amazing talent that took part last year, the extraordinary leaders and the companies they are building – but most importantly, witnessing the positive impact they are creating in the world. I am excited to be part of the steering committee again, learning about all this year’s nominees and the problems they are set to solve.”

Courtney Lee, VP, People, Humi

Courtney brings incredible expertise to the table, having made her mark as a key member of Humi’s executive leadership team. She focuses on nurturing a positive workplace culture and driving talent development, which is essential for any thriving organization.
“Humi proudly champions Canadian women-led startups, equipping them with the tools and resources necessary to accelerate their growth and elevate industry standards. We empower innovation through our integrated payroll, HR, SR&ED, and benefits solutions and stand behind the incredible women driving transformative change in Canada’s startup ecosystem.”

Rivannah Brown, Corporate Associate, Torys LLP

As a Corporate Associate at Torys LLP, Rivannah Brown supports emerging companies through key growth stages, including fundraising, equity structuring, cross-border expansion, and M&A. She also advises venture capital and private equity investors funding transformative technologies, positioning herself as a leader in advancing innovation across Canada’s tech ecosystem. Rivannah’s expertise makes her a valuable member of the Women Innovation Summit Steering Committee.

Sydney Rankin, Head of Growth, Profitual

With a passion for financial strategy, Sydney Rankin helps startups build clear, actionable financial models that drive growth. As Head of Growth at Profitual, she works closely with founders to strengthen their financial intelligence—an expertise that will be invaluable to this year’s Women Innovation Summit Steering Committee. “The path for women founders is often defined by persistent and significant challenges, from accessing capital to breaking into established networks. As someone who works every day to support founders in building clear, actionable financial models, I’ve seen how this support empowers them to raise capital with confidence and trust in their leadership and decision-making ability. I’m thrilled to participate in an event that celebrates the resilience and accomplishments of women founders while creating space for honest connections and learning.”

Alex Avendano, co-founder, newkid

As co-founder of newkid, a branding studio dedicated to fostering innovation, self-expression, and community, Alex Avendano is passionate about helping founders showcase their unique talents with confidence. She brings this same expertise to the Women Innovation Summit Steering Committee, where she works to amplify the voices and impact of women founders.
“The 2024 Women’s Innovation Summit was the first DMZ event I ever attended. It was incredible to be surrounded by so many intelligent, interesting, and driven founders. I knew I wanted to find a way to support them. Fast-forward to this year: newkid is moving into its second year as the DMZ’s branding-partner-in-residence. As a female founder myself, I’m excited to be part of an event that not only recognizes women, but also helps fuel their companies through connections, industry knowledge, and actual cash investment.”